Peer Support Specialists are people who have been successful in the recovery process and who are now able help others experiencing similar situations. Through shared understanding, respect, and mutual empowerment, peer support specialists help people in the recovery process in order to reduce the likelihood of relapse.
Peer support services can effectively extend the reach of treatment beyond the clinical setting into the everyday environment for those seeking a successful, sustained recovery process.
Lived experience differentiates peer support specialists from other professionals as their lived experience is the foundation of both their expertise and services that they provide. The primary responsibility of a peer support specialist is to help service recipients understand recovery and to help them achieve their recovery needs, wants, and goals using a person-centered approach. Peer support may be provided individually, on a one-to-one basis, or in group settings.
